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. J. W. TEW & J. D. RIGLGS. SWITCH.

No. 502,149).- Patented July 25,1893.

WITNESSES A TTOHNE Y S kNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN W'. TEW, OF ROME, GEORGIA, AND J OHN D. RIGGS, OF SELMA,

ALABAMA.

SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 502,149, datedJuly 25, 1893.

Application tiled May 3, 1892. Serial No. 431,735. y(lilo model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern.-

Be it known that we, JOHN W. TEW, residing at Rome, in the county of Floyd and State of Georgia, and JOHN D. RIGGS, residing at Selma, in the county of Dallas and State of Alabama, citizens of the United States, have invented a new and useful Automatic Safety- Switch, of which the following is a specification.

This invention isan improvement in rail road switches, and seeks to provide means whereby unauthorized persons may be prevented from throwing the switch by providing in connection with the switch devices, locking means, to release which requires the exercise of great power or weight.

The invention consists in certain novel constructions and combinations of parts as will be hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view, Fig. 2 a longitudinal section and Fig. 3 a transverse section of a switch provided with our improvements. Fig. 4 is a detailinverted plan view of some of thel lock operating devices. Fig. 5 is a cross section on about line 5,5 of Fig/t and Fig. 6 is a detail view of one of the wheel contact plates and the parts im'- mediately connected therewith.

The main line Aand switch railsB leading to the siding C may be of any desired construction and the switch may be operated in any suitable manner. In the construction shown the pivoted switch rails B are shown connected bya rod or bar vb and for operation by a lever b and the operation of the switch to open or close will be readily understood.

To lock the switch in closed position as shown in Fig. l and to prevent its being open ed except when desired are the purposes of this invention. To this end we providea lock projection D which projects normally in position to lock the switch. Thisis preferably alongside one of the movable switch sections as shown, so as tolock such section and its mate from movement. This will be best understood from Figs. 1 and 3.

Alongside the main line and siding rails, adjacent to the switch, are provided wheel contact plates E arranged for contact by the anges of the locomotive or car wheels and to be depressed thereby, the weight of such car or locomotive depressing the contact plate. In connection with these contact plates E and the lock device D is provided intermediate mechanism so that the depression of the contact plate will operate the lock device and set the same out of engagement with the switch rails so that the latter may be readily moved to open the switch. The movement or depression of the contact plate therefore operates to adjust the switch locking device to unlocked position, or in other words to unlock the switch. These contact plates are of high tension and require a great weight to depress them. Vhile it is preferred to arrange the contact ortripping plates E to be depressed to unlock the switch it is manifest that it is not desired to limit the broad features of the invention to the special arrangement of tripping or contact devices shown.

By making the tripping devices of high tension the weight of a locomotive or car will be required to operate them, and for such reason the unlocking and misplacement of the switch by meddlers and evil doers are avoided.

The preferred construction of connections between the tripping or contact plates and the lock projections as shown will now be described. Such lock projection D is provided or supported on one end of a lever F which is pivoted between its ends atf so that when rocked on said pivot the projection D will rise into or descend out of locked position. At its end opposite the locking projection the lever F engages with a cam g on a centrally pivoted cam lever G so that the turning of said lever G on its pivot G will operate to rock the lever F to depress the lock projection. This lever G is engaged atH H by rods or pitmen'l I which lead to and are connected with bell crank levers J which are pivoted at j and connect with and are operated by the tripping or contact plates E as clearly shown in Fig. 2, the pitmen I I being provided next the levers J with drop portions 'L' to enable them to connect with the lower ends of the levers J as shown. A

In operation, as the tripping or contact plate E is depressed it rocks its bell crank lever J and the said lever by means of its rod I or I engaging the lever G will operate the same to IOO alise its cani rib to rock the lever F to depress the locking projection I).

The operation of the said construction will be readily understood. A train on the main or Side lines on approaching the switch can stop its locomotive with one of its wheels on the contactplate. This will unlock the switch through the devices before described. The switch can then be opened and the train pass into or out of' the switch as the case may be. The switch may then be closed and will be locked as before, a spring K operating to readjust the cam lever G and throw the locking projection up after the switch has been closed.

To avoid the wear and tear that would result from the contact plates being engaged and operated by every passing train the said parts are supported so they can be set laterally out of the path of the flange of the wheel. This will be understood from Fig. 6 in which the plate D supporting the tripping plate E :is shown as provided with slots d for its fastening bolts or spikes d2 and a lever (Z3 is employed for conveniently manipulating said plate to set it out of or into position for operation by the flange of the rail.

In pivoting the levers F and J they are fitted and pivoted between lugs dropped from the plates covering said levers as will be understood from Figs. 3 and 6.

We claiml. The combination of the switch rails, a lever pivoted between its ends and provided at one end with a lock projection for locking the Switch, and an operating lever engaging directly with the opposite end of said lever and adapted to positively operate the llat-ter into both locked and unlocked positions substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of the switch rails, the locking lever provided with a projection by which to lock the switch and an operating lever provided with a cam arranged to engage and actuate the locking lever substantially as setforth.

3. The combination with the switch rails of the locking lever pivoted between its ends and provided 'at one end with an upwardly extendinglocking projection and havinga notch in its opposite end, and an operating lever pivoted to rock in a piane at right angles to the plane of movement of the locking lever and having a cam fitting in the notch of said lever substantially as set forth.

4. In a switch substantially as described the combination with the leverprovided with the locking projection and the lever G pivoted between its ends and arranged to operate said first lever, of the Contact or tripping plates and connections between the same and the lever G incluc'ling rods arranged on oppc site sides of and engaging the opposite ends of the lever G all substantially as set forth.

5. In a switch the combination with the lever F provided at one end with a locking projection, of a cam lever engaging the opposite end of the said lever and mechanism for operating said cam lever substantially as setforth.

6. In a switch the combination of the lever F provided with the switch locking projection, the lever G arranged to operate the lever F, the tripping or Contact plates, and intermediate connections between said plates and the lever G, all substantially as set forth.

7. The combination with the switch, the lever G, the switch locking device and connec tions between the saine and lever G, of the tripping plate, a bell crank lever, operated by. said plate, and a rod extending between said bell crank lever and the lever G substantially as set forth.

8. In an apparatus substantially as described the combination with a track of a tripping or contact plate arranged for operation by the wheel flange, a plate or support carrying said contact plate and movable laterally wherebyitmay be set with the contact plate to adjust the latter into and out of the path of the wheel flange, and the leverJcarried by and movable with the supporting plate and connected with the contact plate all substantially as set forth.

9. The combination in a switch lock of the lever F having the lock projection, the lever G for operating said lever F the tripping or contact plate, the bell crank lever operated by said plate and the rod extending between the bell crank lever and the lever G substantially as set forth.

l0. The combination in an apparatus substantally as described of the lever F pivoted between its ends and provided at one end with the switch locking projection and the lever G having a cam arranged to engage the opposite end of and operate the said lever F substantially as set forth.

ll. The combination substantially as 'described of the switch, the lock for fastening said switch the lever F supporting said lock the spring actuated lever G having a cam by which to operate the lever F the tripping or contact plate E the bell crank lever J and the rod extending between the levers J and G substantially as set forth.

JOHN XV. TEW. JOHN D. RIG iS. Witnesses:

P. B. TURPIN, SoLoN C. KEMoN. 

